Signal-flag support



J. M. CONLEY.

SIGNAL FLAG SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I. 1922.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHED l.

M J A x 3 .C. l

Jase 2i? J4. Uaizlay.

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

J. M. CONLEY.

SIGNAL FLAG SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1922.

Patented Nov. M, 1922;;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 JOSE 2 2 W502?! I N V EN TOR.

w l Fel ne x 01 wh 11%,

li Ki @11 JQSEPQH M. CONLEY, Gil MICHIGAN, ASSI ErNQE OF ONE-HALF TO A.M. BIRD, OF lE/IEGl-QXNTIC, CANADA.

SIGNAL-FLAG screens.

Application filed August 1, 1922.

Z '0 (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L JOSEPH M, CoNLIcY, a citizeiroi the United States,residing at Detroit in the county of W'ayne and State of h lichigan.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal-FlagSupports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to signal flag supports for use onrailroads and its object is to provide a support in which the flag, whennot in use, may be protected from the effects of weather or otherdamaging conditions, and in which the flag may be extended intooperative position for use without liability of damage or displacement.

The invention is of a nature which permits the to he set for either thehoused or exposed position at will with no material effort and to holdeither position against accidental displacement.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a yoke structureadapted to be engaged behind the customary fish plate,'with the yokestructure of V-shape with the apex of the yoke elastic to hold the wideend of the yoke in engagement with the fish plate, and a mast is erectedat the apex end of the yoke which mast carries casinp; for housing andprotecting the signal flag. permitting the latter to be hidden from Viewor displayed as the case may he. and provision is made for holding themast in an erect position or laid down. I

The invention will be best understood from a consideration oi thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing:' torminp' a part of the specificatioin with the under tendingthat the invention is not cordined. to any exact conformity with. theshowing of the drawing, but may he (hang ,d and modified, so 1on9; assuch changes and modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a signal support embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a. plan view with some parts in section of the yoke portion ofthe device,

Serial No. 579,054.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line -3 oi. Fig. 2, v Fig. 4 is a section onthe line l-'Ei of Fig. 1;

5 is a detailed view of the flag holder,

L ig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig.

5 with the parts collapsed.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a railroad track of customaryconstruction including rails 1 and showing fish plates Adaptedto belocked to the rail by one of the fish plates is a yoke of substantiallyV-shape,-macle up of two angle irons 3, 4;, respectively, each having atone end a lip 5 shaped to be introduced between the iish plate 2 and theadjacent portion of the rail.

Each member 3 and. 4 terminates at the end remote from the lip 5 in anextension 6, the extensions substanie-lly parallel one with the otherand the basic webs of the two members 3 and 1 are joined by a connector7 which may be conveniently formed of strap material. The legs 3 and 4;of the yoke are joined to the connector 7 by pivots 8 so that the widthof the basic end of the yoke may he varied at will to permit the introduction of the lip 5 between the ends of the fish plate and the adjacenttrack.

The extensions 6 are connected by a bolt '9 traversing; the upright websof the members 3 and 4 at the ends remote from the track. and the bolt 9at opposite sides of the upright web of the member 4 carries spaced nuts10, 11, one of which may be employed as a lock nut. The bolt 9 alsocarries between the upright web of the two members 3 and 4- a spring 12capable of being compressed by the approach of the extensions 6 oi themembers 3 and 4-.

(.la'vried by the strap 7 and connected thereto by rivets 1 lan are 15through which the pivot 1-3 extends. whereby a flag: pole 16 is madetast to the are 15 and the strap 7, so as to turn about the pivot 13per- Initting the flag pole to be laid down in a substantiallyhorizontal position or raised to an upright position, these twopositions being determined by a sildable bolt 17 engaging' in notches 18in the segment 15.

At the top of the flag pole 16, there is secured a cylindrical casing 19inclosing a roller 20 on which is made :tast the flag 21 and in order towind or unwind this flag, the roller is provided with a crank 22 at oneend.

At the end of the casing 19 remote from the crank 22, there is secured ahook 23 designedto carry a lantern 9A or other light giving element.

Fast to the casing 19 midway of its length is another sleeve 23 held inposition on the upper end of the mast 16 by a thumb screw 24c, whilefast to a rod 25 at the lower end of the flag 21 is a sleeve 7'26capable of sliding along the mast 16 to be held thereto in adjustedposition by a thumb screw 27.

When it is desired to display the flag 2]., the latter withdrawn fromwithin the cars ing l9 by unwinding said [lag from the roller 20, thesleeve 26 then sliding along the mast 16 to the desired position wherethe sleeve 26 is secured to the mast by the thumb screw 27.

In order to protect the flag 21. from the effects of weather, the casing19 is provided with a slot 27 having a protecting lip 28 throughwhichthe flag may be drawn.

When the yoke made up of the members 3 and at is clamped in place by thefish plates 2, the mast 16 maybe raised so as to be fixed in an uprightposition as indicated iirFigure 1. The flag may then be displayedbydrawingit from the casing 19 and locking the rod 25 against retractionthe mast 16 beingheld in the upright position by the engagement of thelatch bolt 17 in the upright notch 18.

\Vhen it is desired to retract the flag and to drop the mast 16, thelatch bolt 17-is withdrawn from the upright notch 18, and the mast isdropped until engaged in the lowered position with the flag retracted.

The invention has the, advantage of being capable of manufacture inmostpart from standard materials, readily assembled and therefore cheaplymanufactured and capable of being installed at low cost whereverdesired, along a railroad without the necessity of any change in suchrailroad and whereever fish plates are available, such devices occurringat frequent intervals.

The mast 16 is made oblong in cross-section, so that it must ofnecessity be placed in one position only with relation to the track,bringing the flag, when upright always in proper position with relationto the track. The mast structure issuch as to collapse as compactly aspossible.

What is claimed is l. A signal flag support for railways, comprising ayoke having one end adapted to engage a fish plate of a railroad trackand the other end of the yoke having pivoted thereto a mast capable ofbeing moved from a substantially horizontal to an upright position, anda flag and a casing therefor with the retractable into the casing andprovided witlrmeans for locking the flag in the projected position.

2. A signal flag support for railways comprising a base member havingmeans for securing it to a fish plate of a railroad, a mast pivoted tothe base member and having means for holding it in an upright or ahorizontal position, a flag, and a casing therefor carried by the mast,with the flag movable into and out of the casing when the mast isin theupright position.

3. A signal fiag support comprising a base member with means forattaching it to a track rail toproj'ect it to one side thereof, a mastcarried by the base member in fixed relation to the track and pivotallymounted to move from a substantially horizontal to an upright position,a casing fast to the mast, a roller within the casing, a flag carried bythe roller and movable into and out of'said casing,'and means associatedwith the flag and the mast co-operating tohold the flag in-either theretracted 'or extended position.

In testimony where0f, I affix my signature JOSEPH M. C'ONLE-Y.

hereto.

